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Jharkhand Rural Development and Labour Minister K N Tripathi, who was sworn in as the new minister in the Hemant Soren ministry in place of the dismissed Chandra Sekhar Dubey last month, today claimed that Congress will fare well in Jharkhand in the state's ensuing three-phase parliamentary polls next month.
Tripathi, who was in the steel city here, told newsmen that Congress will not only increase its tally but also expand its base in the state, where the number of seats of BJP will come down.
Congress has only one seat in Jharkhand while the BJP holds eight seats.
Addressing a press conference, the minister admitted that there was disappointment among the party workers over not fielding a candidate in prestigious Jamshedpur constituency.
Congress has a seat adjustment with JMM and RJD for the 14 parliamentary seats in Jharkhand.
There are compulsions of coalition government and Congress, which was a major ally in the UPA governemnt led by JMM's Hemant Soren in Jharkhand, will honour it, he said while suggesting to the other coalition partners to maintain it.
Asked about switching over of ruling legislators to other parties, Tripathi said such things happened during election time but assured that there was no threat to the government.
"We will continue to deliver as long as the government was in majority," he said, adding that Congress was ready to face the Assembly election, whenever it would take place.
The minister refused to comment on corruption charges labelled against the Chief Minister by former minister Dubey, who was sacked recently.
About the deteriorating law and order in the state, Tripathi said steps have been taken to improve the situation and accountability will be fixed on the concerned officials in this regard.
To a query about the November 14 explosion in Tata Steel works last year that killed one person and injured ten, the minister said he has no knowledge about the progress but assured that he would gather the information if the case was pending with the govenemnent.
